One of the benefits of travelling with an airline which is the member of an alliance is the fact that your benefits as an elite member span across airlines. Till so far, as a oneworld Sapphire member, you had access to the following benefits:

Now, priority handling of baggage was not a guaranteed benefit for oneworld Emeralds, but most carriers would offer it anyways to Emeralds. With effect from December 1, 2014, this changes as a notified benefit to be offered to Emeralds as well as Sapphire members:

Most oneworld member airlines already aim to deliver as a priority checked baggage for their own top-level frequent flyers, along with other passengers flying in First or Business Class.

Now, this benefit is being extended to all frequent flyers with the equivalent of oneworld Emerald and Sapphire in any of the alliance member airlines’ loyalty programmes when they fly in any cabin class with oneworld member airlines anywhere in the world.

Sapphire members get extra baggage allowance

Sapphire members did not get extra baggage benefits when they were not travelling with their own carrier. However, this changes now, and Sapphire members have extra baggage benefits when they travel across the oneworld network:

• On international or domestic itineraries using the baggage allowance “weight” system – 15 kgs in addition to the ticketed Economy allowance.
• On international itineraries (including domestic sectors flown as part of international itineraries) using the baggage allowance “piece” system – a second bag, weighing up to 23 kgs, when the ticketed allowance is one bag.
• On purely domestic itineraries with flights using the baggage allowance “piece” system – the assurance of at least one piece of checked baggage, weighing up to 23 kgs, even when the regular ticketed allowance has no free allowance.

Even the member benefits page on the oneworld website has been changed to reflect these increased benefits.

 

I say this is an awesome addition for a lot of travellers. While I don’t always feel the need to travel with bags, for those of you who do have bags to check in, you will save a lot of money I hope.

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